Things only intensified last Monday when Carbone announced his #ReverseKingCarBan campaign – a social media movement supported by city councillor Giorgio Mammoliti and Ontario PC leadership hopeful Doug Ford.

The original middle finger sculpture, which had the words “fuddle duddle” at its base, was joined by sculptures of a small business and the heads of Mayor John Tory, former city planner Jennifer Keesmat and city councillor Joe Cressy riding a streetcar last week.

“We proved our point,” said Carbone when asked about what the thumb sculptures meant. “City Hall isn’t listening and everybody knows that now. It was a good investment.”

And yet, as of Monday, those thumbs up sculptures are gone.

Both hands have been replaced with a new sculpture that reads “Make King St. Great Again.” A second, thinner sculpture nearby has the words “thank you for your support” under a giant “SOS.”

“The King Street Pilot is causing damage to the businesses within the Entertainment District,” reads a petition that Carbone is still circulating through social media.

“There is a lot of conflicting information being put out right now and we are seeking signatures from those that live, work, visit and commute through the Entertainment District,” he writes “to shine a light on the actual number of people being negatively impacted by the City’s lack of action in amending the Pilot.”